LINUX-UPDATE-SYMLINKS(1) General Commands Manual LINUX-UPDATE-SYMLINKS(1)
NAME
linux-update-symlinks - maintain symlinks to default kernel and
initramfs
SYNOPSIS
linux-update-symlinks {install|upgrade|remove} VERSION IMAGE-PATH
DESCRIPTION
linux-update-symlinks is intended to be called from the postinst and
postrm maintainer scripts of Linux kernel packages. The postinst
script must pass the first argument install or upgrade depending on
whether a fresh installation or an upgrade has taken place.
The VERSION argument must be the kernel version string as shown by un-
ame -r and used in filenames.
The IMAGE-PATH argument must be the absolute filename of the kernel im-
age.
By default, this command maintains symlinks in the root directory.
This behaviour can be modified by settings in /etc/kernel-img.conf:
image_dest
Specifies the directory in which to maintain symlinks
link_in_boot
If set to a true value, specifies that the directory is /boot
no_symlinks
If set to a false value, disables maintenance of symlinks
The symlinks for the primary default kernel version are named vmlinuz
or vmlinux (depending on whether the architecture normally uses com-
pressed kernel images) and initrd.img (if it uses an initramfs). The
symlinks for the secondary default have the same names with the suffix
.old.
If symlink maintenance is disabled, linux-update-symlinks does nothing,
successfully. Otherwise it makes a list of kernel versions in decreas-
ing order of priority:
• The given VERSION, if the first argument is install
• The current primary default version, if it exists and is not already
listed
• The current secondary default version, if it exists and is not al-
ready listed
• All other versions whose files are installed, excluding the specified
VERSION if the first argument is remove, in decreasing version order
The top two entries on the list are the new primary and secondary de-
fault versions, and it updates the symlinks accordingly. In case there
is only one entry, this is both the primary and secondary default ver-
sion. If there are no entries, there are no default versions and it
removes the default symlinks.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
INITRD When the first argument is install or upgrade, linux-update-sym-
links assumes that the given VERSION will use an initramfs un-
less this variable is set to No.
FILES
/boot/initrd.img-*
Installed initramfs images
/boot/vmlinuz-* | /boot/vmlinux-*
Installed kernel images
/etc/kernel-img.conf
Configuration file specifying whether and where to create sym-
links
/initrd.img
Symlink to the initramfs image for the primary default version
/initrd.img.old
Symlink to the initramfs image for the secondary default version
/vmlinuz | /vmlinux
Symlink to the kernel image for the primary default version
/vmlinuz.old | /vmlinux.old
Symlink to the kernel image for the secondary default version
AUTHOR
linux-update-symlinks and this manual page were written by Ben Hutch-
ings as part of the Debian linux-base package.
SEE ALSO
kernel-img.conf(5), linux-version(1).
5 June 2016 LINUX-UPDATE-SYMLINKS(1)
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